


Caught in a Herd

by Insane1001



Category: The Walking Dead (TV), The Walking Dead - All Media Types
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-13
Updated: 2015-04-13
Packaged: 2018-03-22 16:35:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3735946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Insane1001/pseuds/Insane1001
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Daryl, Carl and Judith get separated from the group when a herd attacks.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Caught in a Herd

The town Alexandria it had been going fine, the group had been finally getting used to the safety behind the walls, they were safe Judith might even grow up safe and at this moment Daryl knew that would never happen, some idiot had left the Gate open and know walkers were parading the streets lunging for the innocent citizens that had denied the training they had offered to give and were now regretting the decision as their skin and flesh was torn from their bodies and their screams were luring other walkers.

But Daryl had bigger problems, somehow he had been separated from the group, but not only that he had been separated with Carl who had been holding Judith, he would do anything to make sure they would get back to their father. 

They made it into a vehicle, Judith was crying and Carl was trying to calm her down while Daryl was getting a sick sense of déjà vu from his first run with Aaron and his offer to sacrifice himself. He chuckled softly at that looks like he would be sacrificing himself after all, looking back at the kids cowered in the back seat he made up his mind.  
“Carl” he growled Carl’s head whipped up and Judith seemed to quiet at the urgency in his tone.  
“I’m gonna lure them away and when you have a free line of escape I want you to run” before he had finished Carl had already started shaking his head  
“No, Daryl you can’t the group needs you, my dad he needs you” Daryl smiled sadly  
“Not as much as he needs you kid, not as much as he needs both of you” Carl stopped hesitating then nodding in agreement obviously realizing the meaning behind the words  
“Love you Daryl” Daryl smiled reaching over ruffling the kids hair, he quickly glanced at Judith who was staring up at him eyes full of innocence   
“See you on the other side kid” Smiling he pulled his knife out with one hand and kept his crossbow handy in the other, he opened the vehicle door and launched out taking at least three walkers down with him.

Carl watched as Daryl took his knife to his arm and cut a Jagged line up his arm immediately catching all the other walker with the scent of blood, he watched as Daryl was swarmed and how he still fought and how he managed to lure the walkers away leaving a clear path for Carl to run with Judith, taking one glance back at Daryl and at not being able to get a good look ran for his life with Judith cradled to his chest.

Rick was panicking he had somehow lost Carl in the mess of fighting walkers, and in loosing Carl he had lost Judith, glancing around he was trying to make sure everyone else was in eye sight, until a sick realization that he couldn’t see Daryl either taking another quick look that feeling intensified Daryl was gone. Cursing slightly under his breath he kept taking out walkers, until he saw a truck and an idea quickly formed  
“Everyone into the truck” he yelled, everyone was moving the moment the words left his throat, once everyone was in, rick scanned the area again hoping he would see Carl or Daryl but with no luck he shut the back doors leaving them in semi darkness.

As their eyes adjusted Rick started calling out orders  
“Someone sit in the front keep an eye out for any one we know”  
“Anyone injured” when no once called out he asked the last question  
“Did any one see Daryl or Carl” everyone shook their heads, Until Glenn who had taken the position up front watching for survivors called out  
“There’s Carl” Rick had scrambled to the front of the truck as Glenn opened the door calling for Carl, Carl had moved fast seeing Glenn and his dad he had quickly climbed up over Glenn and straight into his dad’s arms  
“Your alive, Carl your alive” Carl pulled back and handed Judith over to his father she gurgled happily in his arms  
“Dad Daryl he’s still out there he sacrificed himself so we could get out he gotta be still alive” Rick had jerked his head up at the mention of Daryl’s name, but sighed regretfully  
“We can’t go anywhere Carl, we’ll have to wait until the herd moves on” Carl looked like he was going to argue but then he realized his dad was right  
“Okay we can look when its safe” 

Daryl had somehow made it out of the swarm unbitten and had managed to find himself in the woods, moving with well practiced ease and silence he moved quickly, dispatching walkers as they appeared, he knew he ad to fid some where to hide, until it was safe and the herd had moved on. Stopping for a moment he looked around then up, if he could find a tree, strong enough to carry his weight he should be fine, moving quickly and scanning the tree’s as he moved, he found one  
“Guess this will have ta do” he murmured and grabbed one branch and launched himself up, once he had settled his back against the trunk and his legs on top of a thick branch, he settled in for a long night, he chuckled at the resemblance of what he was doing to what he used to do as a child just to get away from his father, except this time he was trying to get away from flesh eating humans. 

The night moved slowly as Daryl dozed, waking every time he heard something move, When the sun started to rise and the sunlight hit his closed eyes he awoke ready to start the day looking down he didn’t see any walkers figuring it was safe he lowered himself to the ground, scrapping his cut up arm along the tree and reopening the cut he had made yesterday  
“Crap” he snarled and quickly reached for the red rag he always kept in his back pocket, he pressed it against his cut trying to stop the bleeding, holding it there for a little while he looked down lifting the rag, cursing when he saw the blood still running  
“Fuck” he started walking maybe if he could get back to Alexandria he could find a needle and thread.

Most of the group were to anxious to sleep, they all wanted morning to come so they could start looking for their resident shooter, the hours moved on slowly, they all took shifts keeping an eye out for Daryl or any other survivors, but the only things they saw were walkers. The sun rose and the moment it was high enough and they had enough sunlight to be able to see by they started moving.  
“Were gonna search every house, make sure to check for walkers, were gonna go in groups” they had all nodded at Rick’s instructions all eager to get moving   
“Alright lets move”

Daryl had made it to the medical office, not seeing a single soul on his way, searching through the cupboards he successfully found some thread and a needle, also finding some alcohol to soak the needle in and splashing some on his wound to clean it, hissing at the burn, Daryl threaded the needle thanking the gods this wasn’t the first time he had, had to sew himself up after his dad had got a little to angry, he had done this hundreds of times, it was like second nature, settling himself and his nerves. Gripping the needle between his teeth he used his free hand to hold the skin together and then lowered his head so the needle would land on his free hand, managing to get the free fingers of his busy hand he held the needle and managed to get the needle through the first two parts of skin taking a deep breath and knowing this was gonna be messy he slowly started the process of sewing himself up one handed.  
Daryl winced at the pain, the sting that always occurred when he was doing this, he was startled when he heard the front door open, groaning as he accidentally pulled on needle and thread that was still in his arm, he quietened down as he pulled out his knife and waited.

Rick and Carl had arrived at the last house on the street, the medical office slipping in through the front door they had both stopped when he had heard the groan, they both quickly moved through the house they made it outside the door in which the sound had originated from, the slowly opened the door, they moved in.

Daryl listened as the foot steps stopped outside his door he watched as the door slowly opened and then all he saw was Rick, Rick looked as shocked as he felt  
“Daryl?” then he saw Carl  
“Fuck kid its so good to see you” they both stepped inside the room Daryl sat back down as the adrenaline ran off, the pain of his arm had come back full force looking down at his arm, he grabbed the needle and restarted his stitching  
“What the fuck happened to your arm” he was about to answer all his focus on his arm but Carl spoke before he could open his mouth  
“He cut his arm to lure the walkers away from us” Daryl finished the last stitch tying of the thread into a knot with his teeth, he finally looked back up at Rick who was staring at his arm.  
“Rick you there” he asked Rick jumped like he had been shot  
“You really would sacrifice your life for my kids” Daryl frowned  
“Course I would Rick, don’t you know that, You need them more than you need me” Rick shook his head moving closer so he was standing between Daryl’s legs  
“I need you both equally, fuck Daryl do you know how much you mean to me” Daryl looked up confused, Rick moved cupping Daryl’s face he leaned down and pressed his lips to Daryl’s, Realization came onto Daryl’s face as they parted.

Rick grinned lets get you back to the group, Daryl nodded, the group was already at their pre-picked spot everyone had their backs to them talking among themselves until Judith sitting in Carols arms shrieked   
“Dar Dar” and had started wriggling, Then all moved looking to where Judith was gesturing relaxing the moment Rick and Carl came into view then Daryl moved out of the shadow, They were all moving at seeing the archer, Carol went to hand Judith to Rick, but Judith was having none of it reaching in the direction of Daryl saying  
“Dar Dar” in a continuous cycle Rick just grinned and Carol moved over into Daryl’s direction bringing him into a hug and the handing over Judith who had immediately snuggled into his chest, and grasped the front of his vest in her small hands. 

Daryl just looked up and grinned and everyone started welcoming the archer back, at one point Carl had moved to wrap Daryl in a hug, In the end Daryl had one hand on Carls’s head, Judith in his non injured arm and Rick next to him with an arm wrapped around his waist. 


End file.
